I know that it’s on the list, but nevertheless, here’s Crocodile Rock:
Elton tried to make a sequel to this song, called Porcupine Rock.
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How about:
Indeep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
Daniel Johnston - Lonely Song
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Roll Over Beethoven?
and the ELO version cause they are a guilty pleasure…
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Human League (original), The Black Hit of Space, a pop song takes over the world!
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I find myself wondering if anyone has attempted to compose and perform the real Monster Mash: the song that the Crypt-Kicker Five played to a mad scientist’s lab full of monsters, as chronicled by the song about this event that shares its title.
What would it sound like? I start out thinking it would probably be some kind of death metal or industrial track. That’s music for monsters, yknow? But then I wonder if it should be in a style appropriate to a song that would have existed, at the latest, in 1962. Or would monsters have strange monstrous instruments that we can only approximate with modern synthesizer technology?
A truly dedicated musician could stretch this concept to an entire album of Songs Other People Sang About; the tracklist is in the blog post this discussion is about.
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I’ll help you win the bet. The Cramps covered this one:
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It’s not really the focus of the song, but the Go-Between’s “Man o’Sand to Girl o’Sea” mentions the protagonist writing a breakup tune called “The Traffic Lights on the Street of Love Have Just Turned Red”.
Also, it’s mentioned in the parent article, but “Please Mr Please” is about not wanting to hear “B17” on the jukebox. The Scud Mountain Boys’ version is absolutely delightful.
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Barenaked Ladies’ “Box Set” refers to a few songs in their new Box Set, although not in much detail.
A dance is a song, without the words.
You’re sweet (you’re sweet)
as a honeybee
But like a honeybee stings
You’ve gone and left my heart in pain
All you left (all you left) is our favorite song
The one we danced to all night long…
Now it’s the same old song
But with a different meaning since you been gone
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I’m pretty sure that Leonard Cohen’s “hallelujah” is referencing a separate, ephemeral song.
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As a kid I remember trying to find out what the original song that he was referring to there was. The nonsensical verse was forgiven because it was apparently taken out of context as an allusion to something else. It’s a reference to a chorus from a not-this song. I say it qualifies.
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There’s a whole subcategory of songs referencing other songs on the jukebox.
Put another nickel in…
If they’ll play another love song
If that Miller Highlife sign stays dim…
As I sit here tonight
The jukebox playing…
(Referring to a real song.)
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If we’re going to drift into self-referential songs, the Austin Lounge Lizards have two of the best.
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You Never Even Called Me By My Name (The Perfect Country Western Song) David Allan Coe / Steve Goodman
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Agreed. If Let’s do the Twist is about itself, I can’t see how The Time Warp is any different.
A “secret chord” is not a song.
IS this self referential, referring to real songs, or to fictional songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Q-ZY7ar70
“I like stupid songs, I sing them all night long.”
